Game grades, analysis from 49ers narrow Week 10 win over Chargers
49ers Offensive Grades vs. Chargers
Quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo played largely well in this game. There were ups and downs, yes, but the 49ers’ first touchdown drive was largely on the back of Garoppolo throwing with great accuracy.
For what the Niners should be expecting from him, 240 yards and a 1-yard QB-sneak rushing touchdown will do nicely.
Grade: B+
Running Backs
Perhaps the most surprising revelation of the night was that Elijah Mitchell, fresh off injured reserve, out-carried Christian McCaffrey.
It may have been a way to keep McCaffrey fresh while using Mitchell for the first time on the field, but the box score tells the story of Mitchell being exceedingly more productive, with 88 yards on 18 carries compared to only 38 on 14 touches for CMC.
That doesn’t tell the whole story, though. McCaffrey frequently created yards out of nothing with his elite vision, but in total, both backs did a good job with what the offensive line gave them.
Grade: B
Wide Receivers
Brandon Aiyuk is a few tweaks away from being a bona fide star at the wide receiver position. He again had over 80 yards receiving with six catches for 84 yards.
However, a fumble off a difficult situation and a brutally dropped touchdown are both just the minor things he needs to correct to be one of the best.
Aiyuk was backed by Jauan Jennings, who finished with 40 yards on four receptions, each of them more clutch than the last.
Fairly absent from the game was Deebo Samuel, who had only 51 all-purpose yards as there was an inability to give him the ball to let him work.
All in all, a decent performance by the unit.
Grade: B-
Tight Ends
The 49ers’ tight ends were silent this game, with George Kittle recording the only catch for 21 yards.
Not much more to say for the unit, they blocked adequately but weren’t called upon.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line
The Niners offensive line was good… except for the times it wasn’t.
That’s an obvious statement, but it well encapsulates how it worked. With the exception of Trent Williams and Aaron Banks, both of whom are consistently stellar, the O-line struggled to take down a beaten-up Chargers defensive line, which suffered even more injuries during the game.
At times it was passable, and the offensive thrived. At others, it was disappointing, and a Chargers team that could not handle the run was getting critical stops. It was a fine performance when it’s all said and done, but it was certainly not what the unit should have done against a struggling defensive line in front of it.
Grade: C